The Airbus A318 Elite is the smallest Airbus finished as a private aircraft, and in Palm Beach it is what a family or group of 14 to 19 charters for a transatlantic move. Range is 4,200 nautical miles from KDJT, which puts London and Lisbon inside a nonstop on the right day and makes a single fuel stop routine on the rest.
Airbus built the A318 Elite on the shortest A320-family fuselage with additional fuel tanks and a private completion for 14 to 19 passengers. It cruises at Mach 0.78 with 4,200 nautical miles of range. The cabin cross-section is the same as the airline version, so headroom and aisle width are full airliner size. Full specifications for the Airbus A318 Elite are published by Airbus Corporate Jets.
Performance and Cabin
- Category: VIP Airliner
- Manufacturer: Airbus
- Year introduced: 2005
- Seating: 14 to 19
- Crew: 2
- Range: 4,200 nautical miles
- Cruise speed: Mach 0.78 (about 448 knots)
- Service ceiling: 41,000 feet
- Length: 103.1 feet
- Wingspan: 111.9 feet
- Height: 41.2 feet
- Baggage volume: 750 cubic feet
- Lavatory: Multiple lavatories
Why the Airbus A318 Elite Fits Palm Beach
KDJT handles scheduled airline traffic every day, so an aircraft this size is routine there. Boca Raton, Lantana, F45 and Witham Field are not options at this weight, and every airliner-size charter in this market runs through West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or Miami.
Season-end moves to Europe. Palm Beach owners who close the house in April and open one in Europe put the household, the staff and several seasons of luggage on one aircraft instead of splitting the move across three airline bookings.
A handful of these aircraft carry a bedroom and a shower. Say at the quote stage if you want a real bed on the crossing, because only specific tails have one and they are spoken for early in the season.
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Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Charter Pricing Reference
Industry hourly rates for the Airbus A318 Elite run $16,000 to $22,000 per hour as of 9/2026. Actual quotes vary by operator, routing, positioning, and date.
$16,000 to $22,000 per hour. Aircraft this size are almost always positioned into Florida from somewhere else, so the ferry legs are a large part of the total and we show them as a separate line.
Other VIP Airliners Available
The full vip airliners category page lists every vip airliner we arrange for Palm Beach departures.
Contact
For a quote on an Airbus A318 Elite charter from Palm Beach, FL, call +1 (888) 987-5387 or visit our contact page. For the vetting work behind every trip, see our safety page. To browse cross-category options for the same trip, visit the aircraft directory.
The hourly rates provided are estimates based on 2026 market data and are for informational purposes only. These figures are subject to change and do not constitute a final offer. Final pricing is dynamic and depends on real-time factors including, but not limited to, specific itinerary requirements, aircraft positioning (“ferry” fees), fuel price volatility, and current market availability. These estimates exclude all applicable taxes, de-icing, landing and handling fees, special event fees, international surcharges, overnight crew expenses, and premium catering. Please contact Air Charter Advisors directly for a firm, all-inclusive quote tailored to your specific travel needs. All images copyrighted and provided courtesy of Airbus unless noted otherwise.